Lingering Sentiment
by R.J. Eastwood
Summary: Speculative two-shot about Aqua reuniting with Terra's soul. The first entry is Aqua encountering the Lingering Will in the Keyblade Graveyard, and the second part will be Terra looking for his friend in the Realm of Darkness. Mainly AquaxTerra
1. We Will Meet at the Crossroad

**Lingering Sentiment**

**Summary:**

**A two-shot story focusing on the reunion of two KH characters (Aqua and Terra obviously). This is purely speculation about how it will happen, but I can dream right? The first chapter will be Aqua finding Terra, and the second chapter will be Terra finding Aqua. Expect angst, a pinch of fluff, and plenty of Heartless/Nobody smashing. A few setting tweaks, but it's for dramatic effect.**

**Chapter 1: We Will Meet at the Crossroad**

The scorching sun slowly roasting Aqua's skin was all too familiar to her. Those long years spent in the Realm of Darkness did not erase the memories of the sacred ground on which she stood. Red sand crunched beneath her feet, and reflected the desert-like heat of the barren battlefield.

She remembered the Badlands well. It was the welcoming place to any who visited the dead world for the first time. She couldn't help but prefer simply arriving at the Fissure and progressing to the field of keys, but seeing this scene was good for her companions.

"Woah!" The amazed voice of a young man gasped, as he rushed forward to look over the grand cliff of the Badlands. "That crater is massive!"

Despite the anxiety that curled heavily in the pit of her stomach, she let herself laugh at such innocence. She watched closely as King Mickey's best magician and his captain of the guard both looked over the horizon with the young man.

That head of messy, brown hair that framed a boyish face with sky-blue eyes never ceased to amaze her. The instant she saw him in the Realm of Darkness, she had known who he was. He practically radiated with some unspoken, unknown power that pulled ones heart into a friendly embrace. This lad was the very same her hooded friend had told her about. Her newest friend, and the one to whom she owed her life.

"Sora," a girl's voice called out to the boy with a laughter in her tone, "we're not here to sightsee, we're here to find clues about Aqua's friend. Remember?" The girl lightly scolding the bearer of the keyblade placed a hand behind her ear, an attempt to tame her long, crimson locks as they blew in the dry wind.

The spell-casting duck turned on his webbed foot and pointed a finger to the air. "That's _Master_ Sora now Kairi." His heavy accent soon dissolved into giggles when Kairi gave him an exasperated look.

The "Master" puffed out his chest and looked at Kairi with half-lidded eyes. "Yeah Kairi, that's _Master_ Sora." His tone was playfully condescending, as he teased his childhood friend with his newest title.

Aqua watched as Kairi shot down Sora's bloating pride with a clever comment about his being lazy, and smiled a warm, nostalgic smile. She recalled the days when she would have such exchanges with her friends, especially her oldest, and most physically capable friend.

She wanted those days back. She wanted those moments of laughter returned to her, to fill the hole in her heart. It wasn't until she could no longer be with her friends that she truly, with all her heart, wanted them back again. In the case of one, she wanted him back even with his faults.

"Alright everyone," Aqua clapped her hands loudly to get the groups attention, "I think it's time we start searching." She offered them her best smile to help hide her own anxiousness. After all, Sora had said she was forbidden to frown.

With that, the search began for any clues that would help find Aqua's wayward friend. They spent hours just walking around the badlands, as Aqua recounted the story of the Keyblade War to Sora and her new friends. She told them about the huge craters that were left by keyblade masters of unimaginable power, and she spoke of the sight she would show them later: the Keyblade Graveyard.

Eventually their search led them through what used to be the Twister Trench and then to the Fissure. It was here that Aqua suggested they stop to rest.

Thankfully, Heartless feared the Keyblade Graveyard. Aqua was not sure why –seeing how Unversed seemed fine with the place–, but she guessed it had to do with the presence of so many keyblades. She decided to use the subject as something to occupy her mind as they group settled down for the night.

Soon night fell over the sacred resting place of keyblades, and the group of world hoppers were asleep. Everyone save for the ladies of the group.

Aqua had abandoned her sleeping bag for the moment to sit at the edge of the crater in middle of the fissure. Her knees were level with her chin, and her hands were on the ground to help support her weight. She was silent in her thoughts, her memories of the past. Happy memories and sad, heartbreaking memories flashed in her mind, and troubled her already quivering heart.

"Boo!"

Aqua betrayed her training and jumped at the sudden noise, but soon calmed with a relieved laugh. "Kairi," she said breathlessly, "you really shouldn't sneak up on a keyblade master like that." Her blue eyes watched Kairi, as she sat down beside her. "Might mistake you for a Heartless."

"Sora says the exact same thing." Kairi smiled humorously and looked up into the starry sky.

"Hah, I don't think Sora could ever mistake you Kairi." Aqua caught a glimpse of a bashful smirk before closing her eyes and lowering her head. She allowed a comfortable silence to hang between the two of them before she felt eyes on her. Without looking, she addressed the only person awake to do so. "Yes Kairi?"

The princess of heart gently nudged Aqua's shoulder with her own. "Are you alright Aqua?" Her voice carried her concern for the older woman. "Ever since we've gotten here, you seem less... happy than usual."

Aqua released a weary breath at her question. The years had left her body untouched was shown in her eyes, as she looked up to the heavens. Though her body was no different after ten years, her heart had felt every moment. "A lot," she paused, "happened here."

She felt her eyes grow hot, and her cheeks begin to flush. Her heart ached at the memories, but it also squeezed with the need for release. "I lost everything that held my light." She curled into a ball and placed her chin upon her arms. "I saw someone I once admired betray everything he swore to protect." She stopped there, not daring to mention the events that so pained her.

But Kairi would not let her hide it. "And you lost someone very precious to you." The girl who called Destiny Islands her true home kept her eyes on the sky, even when she heard Aqua gasp quietly. "I can tell." Kairi's smile grew soft, and a bit forlorn. "You don't talk about this friend much, but you find it easier to talk about Ven."

Aqua looked down. The heat in her eyes was growing, and it felt like her face was swelling with every word.

"And every time Sora or the others mentions him," Kairi looked sympathetic, "you look more than sad. You look heartbroken."

"How do you know so much?" Aqua laughed weakly and looked to the side. Somewhere along the line, she had grown past the stage of blushing at the truth. Perhaps it was the result of all that happened. Maybe it was her heart saying it'd be satisfied with just having him back.

Kairi hugged Aqua and leaned her head on her shoulder. "It's what I felt when Sora left after rescuing me."

Aqua returned the hug by placing her hands on Kairi's arm. "Then tell him. Tell him everything." Her gaze grew sad, and her eyes glistened at the beads of moisture building within them.

"You too." Kairi held her tighter, offering her friend all the care she could give during such a time. Matters of the heart were never easy to handle. So hard, in fact, the universe decided that it would need a keyblade and someone to wield it.

A drop of something warm pulled Kairi from her line of the thought.

"Kairi," Aqua started, "I'd like to go for a walk." She kept her head down, and hid her eyes with her hair. She tried to somehow will her eyes stop burning, and to get her face to stop feeling like someone was pumping air into it.

"Okay, I'll stay up until you get back." Kairi gave Aqua one more squeeze before removing her arms from around Aqua.

The keyblade master stood up at once and took a few steps towards the rocky exit of the fissure. "Don't worry about me, princesses should get their beauty sleep." She jested, but her attempt at humor only revealed the quiver to her voice. She didn't wait for a reply, but instead walked onwards at a brisk pace. She could not keep control of herself for much longer.

It was only when Aqua crossed over into the sacred ground of the Keyblade Graveyard that she allowed the first wave her cries.

Tears fell like hot streams down her cheeks, burning the opened wounds of her heart. Sobs tore from deep within her chest, as her throat felt blocked by her own, raw emotions.

In her mind, all Aqua could do was question why it all had happened. Why did she lose her friends? Why was she manipulated along with the people dearest to her, only to be forced to toss herself aside? Why was she trapped in the darkness, unable to help the one she knew would move heaven and earth for the people he cared about?

Why was fate so cruel to force her to choose between her heart, and her duty?

"Gah," Aqua threw her hands up and weakly tried to wipe the tears from her eyes, "look at me!" She screamed at herself. "I'm acting like a mess." She growled and took a deep breath to wash away her sudden bout of weakness. "Things aren't that bad."

She sniffled and began thinking about her situation differently. "We know where Ven's body and heart are, so he's safe." Aqua nodded her head, "And I've made great friends, more to add to my list of friends." She smiled a little. "I found out Stitch is fine, Hercules grew into a great hero, and I'm not the only keyblade master around too!"

Her spirits feeling lifted, Aqua took another deep breath and threw her worries into the wind. Now free of her heavy thoughts, she let herself admire the ground on which she stood.

A field of lifeless keyblades met her eyes. It was familiar, haunting, and humbling to her. A sea of keyblades once wielded by bearers stronger than she, and here they lay — lifeless and powerless. She contemplated how small it made her feel, as she ran a finger along the cold handle of the nearest key.

"Maybe I should pay my respects while I'm here." She looked over the horizon and found the same, neat path that led to a crossroad in the field of keyblades.

And then a thought struck her.

"Wait," she paused, "how did all of them get like this again after our fight with Xehanort?" Aqua turned suddenly, and recoiled back when she saw someone standing behind her.

The person looked to be a specter in the night, the very image of death draped in its shadows. The man was dressed in dark pants and a dusty, black hoodie with the hood up to shadow his face. His hands were limp at his sides, both covered by black gloves.

Aqua summoned her keyblade and leaped back. "Who are you!" she demanded. She received no answer.

The hooded phantom slowly raised his hand to the sky, as a light drifted down to the earth. The light slowly came to rest in his palm, and a flash of light ushered in the appearance of a keyblade. Aqua tensed, ready to fight the specter, but he did not hold the keyblade in an aggressive stance.

Instead, the hooded man held the keyblade by its shaft and gently carried it to an empty place in the graveyard. The key was a thin design that resembled hers, likely used more for casting spells than physical attacks. Its lavender color was faded and far from vibrant, as if it had been rusted from ages of use. She felt her heart reach out to the lifeless keyblade, and she understood what was going on.

Aqua stood up from her ready stance and simply held her keyblade to watch the scene play out. Her blue eyes followed the hooded phantom's movements, as he dutifully found a place for the key to rest in eternal peace.

After what felt like hours of searching, the specter found the perfect spot, and continued the burial ritual. He lifted the keyblade into the air, teeth pointing down towards the ground. With his other hand, he took hold of the keychain and appeared to pluck it off. The ghostly image of the keychain turned into a speck of light, and he sent it away — back into the world from which it came.

The lone keyblade master was speechless at the sight. Was this where the keychains came from? Were they the lingering souls of keyblades that had lost their true masters? She grew sad at the thought.

Purely out of respect, Aqua bowed slightly when the hooded man drove the keyblade into the rusty sands. She allowed a pause of silence, a testament to the valiant service of both the key and its master — whatever its length.

"Now I see." Aqua softly broke the stretch of heavy silence. "You keep this place. You bury the keyblades, and send out the keychains to aid other keyblade bearers." She nodded her head slowly. "You're the Keeper of the Keys, at least that's what I'll call you."

The Keeper turned his head towards Aqua and nodded very slowly. Moving with the stiffness of a corpse, the Keeper walked towards Aqua to inspect another keyblade.

"Have you been here for very long?" Aqua leaned over to try and see the Keeper's face, but the shadows were too thick. "Tell me, have you seen anyone tall," she stood up on her toes and lifted her hand, "and broad with brown, spiky hair?" She put both hands on her head and pointed her index fingers outwards, a familiar gesture to anyone who has searched for a spiky-haired friend.

The Keeper did not respond at first, but just as Aqua was about to give up, he slowly pointed towards the intersection of the crossroads.

Aqua felt her heart swell, as she followed his finger to the intersection. She did not need to ask if he meant he had seen her friend at that exact spot, or when. She didn't need to ask anymore questions, because there, kneeled in the sand with his large keyblade held in front of him, was Terra in his armor.

The air in her lungs was spirited away, as Aqua gazed upon the very person she was hoping to see. She felt her eyes burn anew, but this time in absolute joy. "Thank the worlds." She breathed before sprinting forward as fast as she could. "Terra!" She called out to him, "Terra, it's me!"

Aqua slowed her excited pace so she could drop to her knees in front of the silent suit of armor. She knelt low, so she could look up into the visor that stared lifelessly at the sand below. "Terra," she whispered hopefully, "what, are you asleep in there?" She playfully tapped her knuckles against the helmet. "How long have you been in that thing anyway?"

Silence was the only answer to her questions.

"Terra?" Whatever feelings of mirth that remained in Aqua left her when the armor did not respond. "T-Terra?" She repeated his name, much weaker than before. Now she was scared. Was this not the armor of her oldest friend? She weaved around Terra's large keyblade, Earthshaker, and sat on her knees in front of him. "I'm giving you three seconds to answer me Terra, or I'm going to be very upset."

Her stern glare fell upon lifeless metal. Aqua reached up to the arm and placed her hands on either side of the helmet. Taking a deep breath, she willed her arms up to try and lift the metal shroud, but it didn't budge. Thinking it was simply age, she tried again... it would not allow the slightest shift of movement.

Frustrated and at her wit's end, Aqua began to shake the lifeless armor, screaming in a fit of emotion. "Gah, this isn't _funny_ Terra!" Her brow scrunched in anger, and her temper flared. "I _swear_, if this is some kind of sick prank, I'll break every bone in your body!" Her cries echoed in the empty expanse of the graveyard before leaving her alone in the night.

Uninvited and unwelcome, more scolding tears slowly leaked from her eyes. Her shoulders slumped, and Aqua dropped her gaze to the ground for what felt like the hundredth time. She turned her body so the back of her head rested against the arm of the armor, and curled into a tight ball against his leg.

It was just as she feared. Maybe Terra was lost forever, and all because she hadn't come up with a way to free him from Xehanort. Maybe both his body and heart were forever lost, and the dark forces they encountered were nothing more than remnants of darkness using Xehanort's name as a point of union. Maybe her friend was lost to her forever.

"Terra," Aqua whimpered one last time, "please, _please_ come home."

...

...

...

...

...

_ I have nothing... left to give._

Aqua's eyes widened at the harsh sound of grinding metal, and the words that rang clearly in her mind. Her ears heard the harsh noise that made her head ache, but her mind registered a message sent to her heart. But where did it come from?

_ I have nothing, but my hate for Xehanort._

The young woman gasped and looked to the armor. The motion was miniscule, but she was certain it was there. Rhythmically, the armor was moving as if breathing. When she noticed she was smiling, it grew to a broad grin. "Terra!" She threw her arms around the armor's neck, and allowed her heart to soar.

_ I have nothing._

Her fit of joy froze in its tracks.

_ No power,_

She looked at the armor in horror.

_ No light,_

"No," Aqua softly spoke, as she took the armor's helmet in her hands again. "No, Terra don't give up, don't give in to the darkness again!"

_ No darkness,_

Aqua's relief was short lived.

_ Only hate, only an endless expanse of rage._

Aqua's reply to such words was swallowed up by her senses blaring warnings for her to tun around. Her vision was greeted by a small army of Shadows and Neo Shadows creeping closer to what remained of Terra. "No, why now!" She rolled under the armor's arm and called her keyblade to her.

The Heartless creeping ever closer hesitated upon seeing the weapon born to defeat creatures like them. Their apprehension did not last, for their hunger drove them ever closer to the empty suit of armor.

"What do you want!" Aqua blasted the horde of Heartless with a Blizzaga spell and glared at them spitefully.

_ Darkness will drag any heart filled with rage into itself._

A voice different from the armor's spoke to Aqua this time. She lifted her gaze to the Keeper, who stood motionless and watched how she would handle the intruders of the graveyard.

_ Soon, the Heartless will claim the armor and the soul bound to it. A soul filled with nothing but rage is as good as a heart filled with darkness._

"You mean," Aqua whipped her head around to look at the empty armor, "Terra... you're giving up?" She ignored the Heartless for the moment to place a gentle palm on the cold visor of the Lingering Will. She placed her forehead against its helmet, and gripped her keyblade tighter.

_ He has nothing left to give. His soul is hollow, and his light is all but gone._

"Then let me be your light Terra." Aqua rubbed her thumb against the visor, hoping she could reach whatever remnant of Terra that was left in the Lingering Will. "Let _me_ be the one to give you something."

A new, burning fire of determination flashed in her eyes. Aqua stood up from the Lingering Will and turned to the Heartless closing in on them. "If you want Terra," she readied her keyblade, "then you'll have to take him from me." Her soft voice exploded into a shout, "But I won't let him go like before!"

Powered by her will and emotions that filled her heart, Aqua unleashed wave=after-wave of powerful magic. Thundaga spells cracked down from the heavens like spiraling dragons of light. Firaga spells roared with the ferocity that matched the king of Pride Rock, and Blizzagas rendered their victims cold statues of frozen shadows.

"Gather!" Aqua cried out and formed a ball of gravity that drew in every Heartless within reach. Any attempt to surround her was foiled at this point, as hundreds of Heartless were gathered in one, helpless bunch.

Swords of light formed magically behind Aqua, as she swiftly dashed from one point to another. With every teleportation, she skewered the horde of helpless Heartless before detonating the swords with a beam of light from the sky. When she landed from her assault, she glared harshly at the Heartless rising from the shadows anew. "Come on, I can do this all day."

While the battle continued on, the Keeper of the Keys turned his shadowed gaze to the Lingering Sentiment. The kneeling suit of armor had moved only once during the encounter, and that was when Aqua got scratched by a Shadow that slipped by her barrage of spells. Now, instead of looking down, its visor was directed at her — watching her.

_ Remember Terra,_

Aqua's pained cry when she got hit by a Neo Shadow caused the armor's hold on its keyblade to tighten.

_ the greatest weapon of the heart, body, and soul, is an emotion stronger than rage._

"Gah," Aqua recoiled from the hard hit of another Neo Shadow, "back off!" She summoned another firestorm and stumbled on her feet. Sadly, her prior bluff was just that: a bluff. Summoning spells strong enough to dispel so many Heartless at once was taxing, even for her. Soon, her energy would be spent, and she'd be forced into close-range combat — not her specialty.

She spun her keyblade and readied one of her last Thundaga spells, as a team of Heartless leaped into the air to attack her from above. However, they did not expect a tower of metal to cut them off entirely.

The Lingering Sentiment suddenly appeared between Aqua and the attacking Heartless. One, wide swing of the mighty Earthshaker hurled the Heartless into oblivion. The suit of armor dropped to the ground heavily, as the released hearts floated upwards peacefully.

_ Leave this place._

The Lingering Sentiment's "voice" echoed loudly. The Heartless shrank back in fear, and slowly stepped back into pools of darkness. Once more, the shadows were banished back into the Realm of Darkness.

Free from enemies, the suit of armor lowered its keyblade, and allowed the wind to beat its body like before. It was only now that Aqua saw just how much time has worn down the Lingering Sentiment.

The armor she remembered to be polished and gleaming with Terra's strength, was now dull and covered in a thick coat of dirt. Rust spotted parts of the golden plates of metal that covered the layer of bronze and black. Unsightly dents and tiny cracks showed the age of the armor that long kneeled in the sand, alone, simmering with an unquenchable rage.

"Terra." Aqua found herself embracing the Lingering Will from the back. She missed its cape, but it was a small detail compared to the soul that dwelled within. "I promise you Terra, I will get your heart and your body back."

_ Then I shall wait for you._

The Lingering Sentiment went to kneel on the ground once more, but Aqua wouldn't let it. In what could only be hinted at as shock, the armor turned its helmet to face her when she walked in front of it.

"You're Terra alright." Aqua gave the armor a soft smile, "You don't listen very well, do you?" She reached up and brushed her lips against the cold visor of the armor's helmet. When she stepped back, she held the armor's hand and began pulling it towards the fissure. "I told you, I'll be your light until we get you all put together."

The remnant of her old friend did not reply, but she smiled all the wider at the hand she firmly held. "Sora and the others are going to have a fit when they wake up tomorrow."

Not opposed to being dragged away from its newest place of rest, the Lingering Will allowed her words to echo in its soul. Its hand soon returned the grip of Aqua's, as the name she spoke finally registered within it.

_Sora_...

I\/\/I I\/\/I I\/\/I

**A/N: Part one is done! Wow, a few parts of this seemed really angsty. It almost made me tear up a little. Gotta love the heart wrenching tragedy that is AquaxTerra. Anyway, part two will be like an AU take on this scene. The roles are switched! Lingering Sentiments helps Sora and the gang search for Aqua in the Realm of Darkness!**

** Thank you for reading so far, please review!**


	2. Found Before the Dawn

**Lingering Sentiment**

**Summary:**

**A two-shot story focusing on the reunion of two KH characters (Aqua and Terra obviously). This is purely speculation about how it will happen, but I can dream right? The first chapter will be Aqua finding Terra, and the second chapter will be Terra finding Aqua. Expect angst, a pinch of fluff, and plenty of Heartless/Nobody smashing. A few setting tweaks, but it's for dramatic effect.**

**Special guest in this chapter!**

**Chapter 2: Found Before Dawn**

Terra was never the one to formulate plans and complex strategies. The role of the wise planner was often filled by his blue-haired counterpart. He preferred the role of the Forward, the one who goes in first to take the full punishment of an enemy while others move in for its weaknesses. It was a role he was often frowned upon by his master and friends, but he did not care.

He determined deep within his heart years ago — perhaps the moment he felt his keyblade in hand — that he will accept the blows for his friends. His mind drifted to the mysterious Dive into the Heart. The starting point of every wielder of the keyblade.

His heart was explored, and the mysterious voice guided him to make a choice on how he would grow as a fighter. The wand, the sword, or the shield were his choices.

For years, people would grow to assume he had taken the sword, the path to power. He would simply smile and laugh. He had chosen the shield. He wanted to walk the path of the guardian, the protector, the sentinel of hearts.

Why did he want to become a master of the keyblade? So he could travel throughout the worlds and protect all hearts.

Why did he train day in, and day out, to be physically superior? So he could shield more people from the darkness. He needed a strong body to withstand the sting of taking attacks on behalf of others.

Why did his keyblade end up being so large? So it can be more than just a sword.

He was the guardian, and even in the midst of the struggle to keep his body and heart, he will be the guardian. So when his heart and body came together once more, and Xehanort overshadowed his heart, Terra executed his only fall back plan.

He fled his body, and latched on to the anchor that was his soul.

The journey from his possessed body to the Lingering Will was perilous. He braved waves of darkness, hordes of thirsty Heartless, and packs of hungry, hollow Nobodies. His heart followed the path to his soul, and found the shell that housed what little was left behind on that sandy ground.

The armor that rested within the sands of the Badlands jostled suddenly. Its stiff grip on its tall keyblade loosened before becoming firm once more. After what seemed to be ages of motionless waiting, the Lingering Will stood up. Within it burned a fire to set things right.

The Lingering Will became Terra once more.

"It worked." His voice came out as a whisper. He tightened his hands into fists and relaxed them once more. He continued to test his joints and muscles, only to find he had none. By some unknown circumstance, he had some semblance of a body, but none of the muscle and bone to ache for it.

Terra's quiet wonder was interrupted by the sudden feeling of darkness around him. He briefly feared it was his own darkness, but realized that it was instead a pack of Heartless coming to steal his heart.

"Angry I managed to get away?" Terra would have smirked bitterly at the shadowy creatures if he could. Shadows and Neo Shadows slowly encircled him and prepared to pounce, as more pools of darkness formed around Terra. "I really don't think you guys know what you're getting into."

The armored keybearer whipped around to his right, his large keyblade swinging with a blur of bronze. A Neo Shadow fell to the rusty sands before vanishing in a plume of black smoke. It was the first of many to fall, as the horde of Heartless pounced upon Terra as one.

Swing after wide, sweeping swing, Terra sent the Heartless into oblivion and released the hearts confined by their darkness. With a loud shout, he slammed his keyblade into the sandy ground and sent all remaining Heartless soaring away from him.

Terra slowly stood up and placed his keyblade upon his shoulder. "Get the idea yet?" He growled at the shadowy creatures dragging themselves to their feet. "Your darkness can't touch me." He looked up into the sky that seemed perpetually in twilight. "Not anymore." His shoulders relaxed when he felt the Heartless retreat, assuming them to be frightened by his display of strength.

"Now, to start looking for my friends." Terra sent his keyblade away and began walking towards the Twister Trench. Thankfully, the twisters of raging Unversed were gone, leaving a windy trench of dark memories for him.

Alone and quietly advancing, it felt like hours before Terra finally made it to the opposite end of the Fissure. He stepped onto the sacred ground of Keyblade Graveyard and gazed upon the battlefield where he nearly lost everything dear to him. It was where he gave in to the darkness, lost sight of his light, and used rage to fight for his friends one last time.

"Xehanort." The name was spoken without a second thought. His heart had already sworn to make the old man pay for his actions, ten fold. But for now, he reasoned, he needs to find his friends. He must renew the bonds he almost broke.

As if reaching out to the desires of his heart, the swirling winds moved the veil of rust-colored sand. Standing at the center of the graveyard, was a hooded figure.

Terra cautiously approached the motionless man and addressed him briefly. "I don't suppose you've seen a girl with blue hair, or a kid with blonde, spiky hair and blues eyes?"

He received no reply.

"Are you the one who put all of these keyblades back in their place?" Terra motioned to the perfect rows of keyblades, each one put in the exact spot he remembered seeing them years before. The living suit of armor sighed when he received only silence in reply.

He looked up towards the sky again. "I guess I could search every world in the Realm of Light for clues on Ven, but I'll need a door to the Realm of Darkness to find Aqua." He briefly contemplated opening a Corridor of Darkness. It would solve his problem, but then he remembered how his heart was weak to the pull of darkness. "It's a risk I'm willing to take, but I'd have no clue where to start in the Realm of Darkness."

_ The Realm of Darkness is, indeed, a vast place._

Terra jumped and looked to the hooded man standing a few paces from him. He knew the voice had come from within the shadows of the mysterious man's hood, but he heard no voice. All he heard were gusts of wind, but his mind understood words. It was strange, but Terra thought nothing of it. "Is there some way you can help me?"

_ There are many ways, and there are few ways._

"Skip the riddles," Terra warned his strange acquaintance. "If you can help me find my friend, then great, otherwise shut up and let me think in peace."

_ Your will to protect is great, no wonder you chose the shield when you went to Dive Within the Heart. It almost consumes your thoughts, perhaps enough to drive you close to the darkness._

Terra squashed the impulse to summon Ends of the Earth and fixed the hooded man with a steady stare. If he had eyes that he knew of, he'd glare with them. "How do you know about that?" He suddenly recoiled back, "Wait, your voice is familiar."

Just as Terra was about to ask further questions, the phantom waved its hand. A Corridor of Darkness opened on the western path of the crossroad. When Terra's gaze shifted to the corridor and back to the phantom, it pointed for him to go into the corridor.

"Well, that'll help me get into the Realm of Darkness without corroding my heart." Terra looked to his hooded friend. "You wouldn't happen to have an Aqua detector on hand would you?" He said this with a chuckle, but the phantom did not laugh. Instead, it approached him and pointed to his chest — where his heart was.

_ A heart never truly forgets its bonds Terra. Even in the deepest darkness, bonds of friendship and love can guide hearts together. Follow the path your heart leads you, and at its end you will find who you wish to see._

Terra touched his chest and sighed at the metal shell that was his body for the time-being. "Our bond will guide me huh," he looked at the ground in shame. "I'm not even sure I deserve to keep a bond with someone as pure as her."

_ Bonds of the heart are not a matter of deserving or not deserving._

"Whatever you say." Terra didn't hide his skepticism. He turned to the dark corridor and stepped towards it with a heavy, measured pace. He stopped a couple of feet in front of it, and paused to fill his heart with as much light as he could muster. Having experienced the last few years as little more than a spectator of how far he ca fall, he had to gather quite a bit.

_ A warning before you dive into the darkness._

Terra glanced over his shoulder when he heard the hooded figure speak once more. Briefly, he recalled just how much he hated last minute warnings.

_ There are many things hidden within the Realm of Darkness. Heartless too dark and powerful to speak of, darkness so cold it drains your very life force, and horrors locked away for none to awaken._

The hollow armor faced forward again, and gazed into the swirling vortex of darkness. "So you're telling me I'm going to see some real bad stuff in there?" He remembered his time as the Seeker of Darkness. "Nothing I haven't experienced before."

_ Remember Terra, the true light sleeps deep within the darkness. If you are in trouble while in the Realm of Darkness, then seek it out._

"The true light?" Terra turned around to ask for more information, but found nobody standing there. He looked around for the hooded figure, but he was all that was left in the field of sleeping keyblades. Vowing to return to this sacred place later, Terra faced the dark corridor once more and walked through.

The golden hue of the lifeless Keyblade Graveyard gave way to the swirling violet and blue of the Realm of Darkness. Terra felt his light waver slightly, but he quickly steeled himself. His hand rested on his chest, above his heart, as his shoulders sagged. He felt short of breath, and his armored shell of a body felt much, much heavier than before.

"Come on Terra," he shook his head, "get it together." He stood up straight and tried to shake the darkness that was lapping at his heart. "You won't have a chance of saving Aqua if you can't even function in this place."

He immediately regretted that thought the moment it struck him.

The darkness found an opening to assault his heart, to try and claim him once more. Memories of failing the friends he swore to protect began to flood Terra's mind, nipping at both his heart and soul. He began to hate himself, doubt his ability as a keyblade bearer, and he felt unworthy.

"No!" Terra roared to himself. He forced his heart to remember his anchor, to remember his light. Flashes of memories replayed in his mind, memories he could use to bolster his reserve of light.

He remembered those warm days when he would sit around with Aqua and Ven. Terra called up memories of their master expressing how proud he was of all three of them. The most powerful memory of all, however, was one that he cherished from before he met Ventus. It was the day he first saw her smile at him, even if it was due to a joke at his dispense.

Terra snapped back to his senses. Aware once more, he noticed that he had assumed a kneeling position — Ends of the Earth held before him. All around him, Heartless crept ever closer, hungry for his heart.

"Get lost!" He shouted and stood up. A bright flash of light banished the Heartless away, leaving Terra alone in the darkness once more.

Relishing the solitude, Terra looked at his surroundings and sighed. "Just as barren and creepy as I remember it." He allowed his broad shoulders to sag before he began his long trek down the winding, shadowy road.

After hours of walking, Terra stopped to look at his surroundings once more. Nothing changed from the spot where he first arrived. The road was still purple and seemed to go on to eternity, and endless darkness swirled everywhere else. "I don't even know if I'm going in the right direction." He growled with frustration and tried to think of something he could do. It didn't take him long to recall the words of his hooded friend.

"Bonds huh." Terra decided he nothing to lose, and focused. Spending years under the tutelage of a Keyblade Master of Light had its advantages. Master Eraqus made sure to instill in each of his students the importance of communicating with their hearts. According to his late master, memories were the best way to find and use the bonds of the heart.

"Aqua," Terra spoke her name softly, "where are you?" He pictured her face bathed in the glow of some massive source of light. His heart grew warm, but he didn't feel a direction. Next, he remembered the feeling she gave him when in her presence. This time, he felt a light tug, but it was too vague to follow.

Terra felt a brief surge of frustration. "I'm sure she'd give me an ear full for taking so long with this." His head snapped up at that thought. Instantly, he recalled her voice, a voice that sounded melodious even when she was scolding him.

The effect was instantaneous.

What Terra could only describe as an unseen hand grabbed him and pulled him down the road. He was going in the right direction, and if his senses were anything like they used to be, she was closer than he thought.

"Hang on Aqua," Terra began running where he heart led him, "I'm coming." He was sure that if he had eyes, they'd be burning with tears of joy. "I promise I'll let you yell at me all day, as long as you don't lose your heart on me."

Thankfully, Terra's lack of an actual body came in handy for him. Without lungs or muscles to get tired, he could run for a limitless amount of time and not feel drained. The thought never struck him, however, and neither did the fact that his surroundings changed drastically.

What Terra did notice was the strong pulse that hit him like a raging bull. Barely keeping himself from crashing to his knees, Terra came to a staggering halt and gripped his chest once more. The darkness was much stronger, much more dense in this part of the Dark Realm. Though his heart's bond with Aqua urged him forward, Terra feared what would happen if he journeyed further.

"How deep are you in the darkness Aqua?" Terra asked the air. He looked around and shivered at the lifeless buildings, empty streets, and towering pillars of black stone that were his surroundings. He was standing in the middle of a deserted city, much like the World That Never Was — the former home of his Nobody. This place felt different, it felt darker.

Terra cautiously walked forward. His feet felt heavier than before, yet the force of his heart's pull drove him onward. The ominous feeling, however, only grew with every step. "Something tells me," Terra looked down pitch black alleyways, "nobody should be here."

He cautiously continued into the desolate city. Along the way, he continued to take in his surroundings. The strangest thing he noticed was the state of the buildings as he journeyed on. The tall skyscrapers were more and more damaged the further he walked towards the city's center. Whole sides of colossal buildings were torn away and caved in. Some skyscrapers were even leaned against each other, their foundations all but destroyed.

A sudden pulse of darkness broke Terra's observations. He snapped his head level with the horizon, and saw a small pack of Heartless dancing around a heap of blue and white. Terra knew right away who it was.

"Get away from her!" Terra roared and summoned Ends of the Earth. Leaping high into the air, Terra raised his large keyblade and landed heavily over the potential victim on the shadowy creatures. He turned his body and swung his keyblade from his shoulders. The hard blow was enough to banish the Neo Shadows back into the endless darkness, but the Shadows were quick enough to flatten below the strike.

Terra eyed the Shadows as they encircled him. He crouched low to better protect the defenseless heart between his feet, and waited patiently. The moment he waited for came sooner than he thought, but he simply raised his keyblade and summoned a ring of magical land-mines around him. The weak level Heartless didn't stand a chance.

His enemies beaten back into the deepest recesses of the darkness, Terra looked down to inspect the pile of blue and white. To his dismay, all he saw was the outer robes of Aqua's outfit. "But, I could've sworn..." Terra gathered up the white sash that she wore around her waist, and a large piece of the blue cloth she always hung on either side of her hips.

"My heart is telling me she's near, but why are these here?" He inspected the pavement for blood and gratefully found none. The presence of the Heartless around her missing pieces of clothing might mean they are hunting for her. Terra looked up from the pavement and down the street he was on.

The wide city street must have been an important street because it led to a grand staircase. He followed the staircase up to a row of tall, broad doors and upwards still into the heights of the building that seemed to reach into the clouds. Statues of angels, woman draped in robes, and fearsome gargoyles stood guard from their decorated perches that littered the upper portions of the enormous structure.

Terra expected to feel waves of darkness from such a place, but the structure felt like the exact opposite. Instead of pushing away his light and pulling in his darkness, the building felt like a sanctuary for his wavering light.

"Aqua would go there." Terra said with absolute confidence. "If that place really is a sanctuary, there's no doubt she would've hidden herself in there."

The armored keybearer continued down the road until he came up to the grand set of stairs leading up to the sanctuary's doors. He paused at the foot of the stairs and looked up into the blackness of the entrance. Carefully, he set foot on the first step, and he instantly felt something change.

The sanctuary no longer felt welcoming. Instead, it felt... uneasy. He felt like a stranger in the presence of the building's silent guardians — a guest not yet welcome. Terra shifted his weight to climb another stair, but stopped when he heard a sound break the perpetual silence of the Realm of Darkness.

Slow, steady footsteps grew closer, and they were coming from the entrance to the sanctuary. Terra looked at the dark door and waited for who he hoped was Aqua. Indeed, he saw a head of blue hair, but it was far darker than Aqua's. The wearer of such dark blue hair was male, just as tall as Terra, and wore all black clothing.

From atop the stairs, cold eyes of crimson peered down upon fragmented keybearer. The true protector of the sanctuary stood before the former Lingering Will. To the guardian's back was the hope of finding the light of a heart once lost to darkness.

[\/\/] [\/\/] [\/\/] [\/\/] [\/\/] [\/\/]

**A/N: So yeah, that whole two-shot thing? Make it a three-shot because my creative mind went into overdrive with this chapter. A lot of fighting next time, and the reunion you all are reading for. It's only now that I noticed just how messed up Terra's life is. He has a lot to work through, and its a good thing he has a smart, blue-haired "friend" to help him through.**

**Until next time: thank you for reading, and please drop a review or two.**


	3. Birth by Sleep

**Lingering Sentiment**

**Summary:**

**A three-shot (formerly two) story focusing on the reunion of two KH characters (Aqua and Terra obviously). This is purely speculation about how it will happen, but I can dream right? The first chapter will be Aqua finding Terra, and the second chapter will be Terra finding Aqua. Expect angst, a pinch of fluff, and plenty of Heartless/Nobody smashing. A few setting tweaks, but it's for dramatic effect.**

**Special guest in this chapter!**

**Chapter 3: Birth by Sleep**

_The kingdom sleeps_

_and children sacrifice themselves day by day_

_until they extinguish,_

_and they will never awake._

_This tragedy destroys_

_in front of them_

_every beloved thing._

_And in this neverending night_

_look there, the real vision_

_on edge I will see you_

_and the next morning the time will awake._

— _Somnus (Sleep) by _Yoko Shimamura (Translated into English from Latin)

The staring contest between Terra and the guardian of the sanctuary was silent and heavy. Though he lacked a body, Terra cold feel the piercing, crimson stare of the young man standing atop the stairs.

He was dressed in a black shirt of leather that consumed what little light was around him. It strapped down the right side of his torso with a collar that went up to protect his neck. Loose, black pants covered his legs and ran down into the tops of his high-laced combat boots. Against the darkness of his clothes, his face looked smooth and pale.

"Excuse me," Terra decided to address the young man, "I'm looking for someone." He tried not to sound uncomfortable, but his manners felt rusty after years of being in virtual isolation. "A young woman with blue hair, blue eyes, and uses a Keyblade?"

The guardian with crimson eyes did not reply.

Terra muttered to himself, complaining about meeting people who insisted on not talking to him. "A simple yes or no question kid." He spoke quietly, hoping his new acquaintance would not hear.

If his rude comment was heard, the youth showed no signs of it. He turned his back to Terra and waved his gloved hand for Terra to follow. "This way."

"You've seen her!" Terra's excitement gave him a burst of energy that made him rush up the stairs. He eagerly followed the young man's steady pace. Before they entered through the large doors, he introduced himself. "Name's Terra by the way."

The guardian stopped just outside of the shadows of the entrance way. He glanced over his shoulder and looked into Terra's visor. "Noctis, my name is Noctis."

Terra nodded and put the name to memory. His true focus, however, was observing the interior of the mysterious sanctuary. To his shock, the inside was more stunning than the outside.

Marble floors stretched throughout the interior of the sanctuary. Golden streaks smoothly drew a circular pattern over the marble, and ran into the base of square pillars of smooth, dark stone. The pillars rose up to the shadowy ceiling of firm beams and arches. The most shocking aspect of the interior, however, was the crystal of pure light that levitated at the very heart of the chamber.

"What is that?" Terra asked in breathless amazement. To find a crystal of strong, solid light in the midst of the Realm of Darkness was unspeakable. He looked to Noctis for an answer, but what he saw made him forget about the crystal. "Aqua!"

The blue-haired Keyblade Master was motionless in a tall, black throne. Her eyes were softly closed, and her head was tilted to the side as she slept. Her face was slightly pale, but Terra didn't care. He still poked her face as if she was made of fragile porcelain. When he was more certain she wouldn't burst into a million pieces, he ran his hand along her cheek.

His heart pounded with relief, and a cold chill filled his armor. She was safe, and she was right in front of him. "Aqua, wake up." He carefully shook her. When she didn't wake, he took both of her shoulders in hand and shook her more firmly. "Hey, Aqua, come on!"

"She was like that when I found her." Noctis calmly stated. He slowly blinked his eyes and turned his chin up when Terra rushed him. No sooner had he said those words, Terra had Ends of the Earth pressed against Noctis's neck.

Terra lowered his head to look menacing with his helmet's visor. "Liar." He growled dangerously. He pushed Noctis until he was against the wall, and hoisted him into the air with one hand. "What did you do to her!" His vision blurred with his anger, but Terra only held Noctis tighter.

The stoic guardian placed his hand on Terra's balled fist. "I found her like that." He spoke more firmly, trying to cut through Terra's anger. "My only guess is that her heart retreated deeper into herself to protect her from the darkness."

"Why would she do that?" Terra loosened his hold on Noctis, but his voice still had an edge of hostility.

"Think about where you are." Noctis glared down at Terra, perhaps fed up with his irrationality. "A heart of light cannot survive in the darkness indefinitely. She did it to protect her heart, after it guided her here." The young man eyed Terra, as he was gently set down back on his feet.

Terra glanced at the floating crystal before looking back at Noctis. "That light, is that why she came here?"

"Yes." Noctis nodded. "It is keeping her heart safe, but it is not enough to wake her up." He looked solemnly towards the slumbering Aqua. "I tried to wake her up when I brought her here, but nothing worked."

"No," Terra walked over to Aqua's side and lowered himself to his knees. He gently reached out and took her limp hand into his own and stared at it. It looked small compared to his hands, and it scared him. In this state, Aqua seemed fragile, small, and weak. It was not the Aqua he cherished in his memory, in his heart.

"Aqua," Terra held her hand tighter, "I'm sorry." He lowered his head until his visor touched her cold skin. "I'm so sorry Aqua." He cursed himself and his weakness, as he looked up at Aqua's face. He caressed her face again. "You always warned me about being rash, about being too quick to bear all the burden myself."

He stroked her cheek with his thumb. "I should have known my heart wasn't strong enough to do that." His voice wavered, but he lacked the eyes to form tears. "Damn it Aqua!" Terra suddenly yelled in anguish. "You should have left me to sink into the darkness. Then you could have stayed in the Realm of Light, could've taken care of Ven." His hand dropped to her lap, and he knelt down in front of her. "Why Aqua?"

Terra dropped his head onto her knees. "Why'd you risk so much just to save a low life like me?"

"Because you'd give your whole heart to save me." A voice that sounded as sweet as morning birds rang in Terra's heart. Hands that once looked so small took Terra's head and made him look up into tired blue eyes. "And if I remember right," pink lips smiled softly, "you did."

"Aqua." Terra was thankful he couldn't look up with a slack jaw. "Aqua!" He reached up and enveloped his friend in a large, tight hug. "But how?" He leaned back so he could look at her smiling face. They shared a laugh when she shrugged and her smile grew bashful.

Noctis, however, didn't catch the subtle hint. "The bond you two share was enough to wake her up." He looked away just in time to miss Aqua's face grow red. "Only a bond that's as strong as yours can wake a heart from its sleep." He turned his back to the pair, further overlooking Aqua's uncomfortable squirming. "I've been told that such a bond was strong, but to think it could —"

"Gah, stop already I think he gets the point!" Aqua folded her arms and looked away from Terra.

The large keybearer looked between the two before tilting his head. "I think I'm missing something." He looked to Aqua for an explanation, but was met with her dumfounded expression. When she didn't answer for a few seconds, Terra leaned back. "What?"

A series of expressions passed over Aqua's face. She looked hurt, then boiling mad before sighing heavily. She put her hand on Terra's visor and pushed him away. "Such an idiot."

Noctis, lost by all means, watched the pair silently. Terra growled indignantly and tried to ask what was bothering her. Aqua simply ignored him and ordered that he step back so she can stand up. The guardian of the sanctuary shook his head slowly before looking to the crystal of light. "Maybe this is what they call 'denial'?" He caught a glimpse of Aqua slapping Terra over his helmet. "Or ignorance?"

"Just forget about it Terra." Aqua said for the third time. She turned to face her friend and eyed him closely. "Why are you wearing your armor?" She reached up to snatch off his helmet, but Terra caught her by the wrists as gently as he could.

He looked away from her now confused gaze with shame.

Aqua stepped closer to him and tried to force her wrists from his hold. "What's wrong Terra?" Her voice lost the edge of a few moments ago, now dripping with concern. She felt her heart squeeze when Terra's response to her advance was to step back. "Terra," her voice was firm, "you tell me what's wrong, _now_."

"You were there." Terra's shame turned into stubbornness. "I shouldn't have to tell you." He released her and turned around. "We should start out, try to find Ven, defeat Xehanort." His head dipped when he heard Aqua gasp in realization. Terra fought to hide his negative feelings when he felt Aqua's hand on his back.

Noctis watched the tender moment from the throne where Aqua once slept. The blue-haired Keyblade Master was a breath away from pressing her forehead against Terra's back. Her hand was balled into a loose fist, resisting the urge to wrap around his torso.

"Oh Terra." She whispered sympathetically. "I guess I wasn't the only one fighting for the past year."

"Twelve."

Aqua looked up at the back of Terra's head. "What?"

"Time passes differently here." Terra started slowly. "What felt like one year to you, was twelve years in the Realm of Light."

Whatever held Aqua back from hugging Terra was shoved aside. Shamelessly, she threw herself at Terra's back and locked her hands across his front. Her head was pressed against his shoulder-blade, "That's such a long time to be fighting for your body Terra."

"And a long time to fight off the darkness in its own realm." Terra patted her hands and stepped forward — out of her hold. "What you see right now is my soul and my heart bound to me Keyblade Armor." He balled one hand into a fist and looked at it. "I'll get my body back from Xehanort, and make him pay for putting us through all of this."

Aqua's eyebrows came together in frustration before smacked Terra over his helmet again. When he looked at her in question, she folded her arms and glared up at him. "When are you going to stop saying 'I' all the time and rely on your friends for once?"

"Huh?" Terra couldn't help but sound dumb — thrown from his train of thought.

"It's that attitude that got you into trouble in the first place." Aqua took an aggressive step towards him and glared harder. "You want to take all the responsibility for everything, shield everyone from harm, and refuse genuine help from the people you claim to be your friends!" Aqua punched him in the chest, hard.

Terra recoiled back from the impact. He should've never taught her how to punch when they were children. He was about to verbally fire back, but hesitated when he saw Aqua holding the hand she had punched him with.

"That's not fair Terra." She said softly. "It's selfish. We just want to help you too." Aqua looked up, her blue eyes shimmering. "For once Terra, let me protect you."

The animated suit of armor was speechless still. When he still couldn't come up with a response, he chuckled lightly. He went to answer her, but the sight of movement made him pause. "Noctis?" He saw Aqua whirl around to look towards the door. "Where are you going?"

"There's an intruder outside." Noctis looked at the pair calmly. "I was going to excuse myself, but you two seemed engrossed in your conversation."

Aqua blushed and curled her hands into fists. "E-engrossed is a bit exaggerated, and besides..." she pointed an accusing finger at Terra, "what I said to him goes for _you_ too!" She took a calming breath when Terra laughed at her reaction.

"Seems I wasn't the only one who needed a lecture." He regarded Noctis's slightly surprised expression. "She does that a lot."

"Do not!"

Terra summoned Ends of the Earth and rested it on his broad shoulder. He stepped towards Noctis with an excited bounce to his step. "We'll give you a hand, the least we can do for letting us into this place."

Aqua nodded in agreement and called her Keyblade, Stormfall, to her hand. The azure Keyblade was a thin design, used for casting rather than bashing. The teeth of the key resembled a snowflake with three short prongs that resembled a crown. "We don't let friends fight alone, not when we can help it."

Both keybearers laughed when Noctis's perpetually stoic face arranged a small smile. He nodded slowly and went to step outside, but stopped at a rattling sound. His crimson eyes widened and he whipped around to stare at the crystal of light. The crystal, once silently levitating at the heart of the chamber, was rattling.

"That can't be good." Terra commented, as he continued to stare at the quivering crystal.

Aqua looked to Noctis, finally asking the question that had plagued her mind since she saw the sanctuary. "Noctis," he didn't turn away from the crystal, "what exactly is this?"

"It's light, much like the Cornerstone of Light located in Disney Castle." Noctis was suddenly short of breath – heart racing at the pace of the shivering crystal. "This sanctuary is a remnant of the Keyblade War, a sanctuary to any from the Realm of Light who stumbled into darkness." His eyebrows ran together, as he clenched his jaw. "Whatever is outside, it's darkness is strong enough to make this speck of light quake with fear."

"So I was right." Terra began stepping towards the door once more. "That _isn't_ a good sign."

Noctis shook his head and led the trio out of the interior of the sanctuary. What greeted them outside of the warm glow of the light, was a horde of Neo Shadow. However, they seemed strange compared to the average breed of Heartless. Red veins made ugly patterns around their glowing yellow eyes, and their claws were larger than normal.

"Something isn't right." Aqua felt her limbs grow weak before she found her strength again. She felt some invisible force pull at her heart before retreating back. Aqua looked beside her and saw Terra holding his chest. "You too?"

Terra nodded before getting into a fighting stance. "I hope that hooded guy's warning was just an exaggeration." He gripped Ends of the Earth tightly and threw himself down upon the nearest pack of strange Neo Shadow. His opening swing was a thrust straight forward, pushing a Heartless back into its companion. His second swing was a full circle, striking all those nearest him.

"Be careful!" Aqua summoned the power of thunder and struck the Neo Shadows with a wave of Thundaga. She turned on her heel to see if Noctis needed help, but dropped the idea upon seeing him.

All Aqua could see of Noctis were brief flashes of his dark clothes and flashes of blue light. The guardian of the sanctuary was teleporting from one place to the other, wielding a different weapon every time he appeared near a Neo Shadow to dispel it. He slashed with his swords with expert precision, and appeared behind another Heartless bearing a steel lance.

Another foe disappeared into oblivion, while Noctis drove his sword into the pavement and spun around to kick his next victim. Landing on his feet, he used all of his strength and weight to slash at a pouncing Neo Shadow. In seconds, Noctis had sent over half of the Heartless horde back into the shadows.

Terra stood up from the lingering smoke of his latest set of magical mines and whistled. "Guess that answers how he's protected this place by himself." Terra caught a Heartless by its head and slammed it into the ground before stabbing it with Ends of the Earth. "He's good."

"You've improved yourself." Aqua complimented his and summoned the power of ice for a powerful Blizzaga spell. The spell struck true, and three Neo Shadows were frozen in place like statues.

The three protectors of the sanctuary regrouped and looked down upon the remaining Neo Shadows at the foot of the stairs. Were these the creatures that made the light shake? Though Terra admitted they were stronger than normal, this breed of Neo Shadow was hardly a match for an experienced keybearer.

"Horrors locked away for none to awaken." Terra repeated the words of the Keeper of the Keys. Aqua looked to him in confusion, but he didn't answer her unspoken question.

Instead, Terra focused on the Heartless that now crept back into the shadows. He expected to feel relief at the sight, but the look of terror on the Neo Shadows' face was... unsettling. His head snapped up to look further down the street, where the darkness grew too thick to see.

"Something's coming." Aqua warned her two companions. Again, she felt a force pull at her heart, and her knees nearly gave out from under her.

Noctis balled his hand into a fist, and an azure glow enveloped his forearm. Intricate symbols appeared behind him, and weapons of various kinds levitated outside of the symbol. Sparkles of light, like shattered glass, began to fall around the trio in a way that reminded Terra of snow.

The tension finally reached its peak, as the steady sound of nearing footsteps echoed through the still darkness.

Terra tightened his hold on Ends of the Earth, as his heart pulsed with the darkness that neared them.

"I was afraid it would be one of them." Noctis closed his eyes and turned his body sideways. His eyes snapped open once more when the approaching force stepped into the dim light, allowing the trio to see who it was.

The newly arrived force of darkness was dressed in a suit much like Vanitas from Aqua and Terra's memory. The body suit with a texture like muscle was a trademark of any who bowed a knee to the forces of darkness. However, a torn Dark Coat acted as a cape to the wearer of the armor, and its hood covered the wearer's face. The bottom half of his pale face could be seen, and it was set in a straight line.

"Mind filling us in Noctis?" Terra kept his visor focused on the mysterious servant of darkness. "You seem familiar with him."

Aqua laughed half-heartedly. "He wouldn't happen to be a friend of yours, would he?"

"No," Noctis shook his head, "but he's been here before." He took one of the swords levitating near him. It was tall and had a small engine fastened just above the hilt of the sword. "He's one of many sealed within these dark ruins."

Noctis closed his eyes, and began to recite,

_Hearts bound to the dark_

_fear the day its soul would depart_

_to lengthen his life by only a meter_

_he would take the name Heart Eater_

"Heart Eater?" Aqua gasped at the name.

"One who consumes the hearts of those he releases." Noctis spoke solemnly, "Feared by Heartless and Somebodies alike."

At the mention of his title, the Heart Eater took in a deep breath. He paused before releasing a bone shivering shriek that made any Heartless remaining scramble back into the deepest womb of darkness. The shriek revealed rows of sharp teeth packed behind the pale lips of the Heart Eater.

Terra stepped down two steps with one stride. "You said something about them releasing hearts and eating them." Terra readied himself when the Heart Eater began walking towards him. "Does that mean he has a..." He was interrupted when he had to block a sudden attempt to sever his head. With only his Ends of Earth between them, Terra looked down at the silver shaft of a Keyblade. "Nevermind."

"He has a Keyblade!" Aqua leaped above Terra's head and sent a blast of lightning at the Heart Eater. The steward of darkness leaped back and away from the attack before reversing his hold on his Keyblade.

The Heart Eater looked at all three of his opponents and grinned. His body suddenly became blurry and copies of himself phased into existence. In seconds, twenty mirror images of the Heart Eater were staring up at the trio of defenders. The original Heart Eater crouched low, and yelled, "Get ready!"

"Aqua, support!" Terra charged forward and readied Ends of Earth. His opening swing was wide in order to catch three of the copies in one strike. Only two were struck, and the third ducked under the attack to charged low and fast. Terra let go of his Keyblade with one hand and tried to block the attack aimed at him. However, a flash of light ushered in a protective bubble of magic — a Reflect spell.

"Stay strong!" Aqua shouted and followed up with a storm of Thundaga.

Bolts of thick lightning descended from the sky, and masked the fall of Noctis. The guardian to the crystal of light landed atop the bubble of light protecting Terra, and kicked off of it to meet two more copies of the Heart Eater. The bubble shattered to counter the copy plaguing Terra, as Noctis began his assault on his targets.

Teleporting to and fro, Noctis struck the Heart Eater's copies with flurry of swords and lances. Finally, after striking a fourth copy, Noctis landed on the pavement in a crouched position. He was ready to shout for Terra to follow up, but he was roughly lifted by the collar.

The Heart Eater reeled back, holding Noctis up with the other hand. He then delivered three, merciless strikes with his Keyblade before throwing Noctis back with a blast of dark energy.

The guardian slammed into the stairs and coughed for air when it was torn from his lungs. Staggering from the attack, Noctis gripped his chest and continued to wheeze, short of breath. "Bastard." He growled.

"Noctis!" Aqua surrounded herself with a swirling flames and dashed towards Noctis. "Protect!" She shielded herself with a Reflect spell and collapsed it to push back a copy that dared try and take her by surprise. "Let me see." She kneeled beside Noctis and cast Curaga on him. All outward injuries vanished, but she saw Noctis still gripping his chest. "What's wrong?"

"His Keyblade," Noctis coughed, "it attacks more than your body. It attacks the heart as well." He looked towards Terra who was fighting four copies at once. "We have to help your friend, he's especially vulnerable to the Heart Eater's attacks."

Aqua nodded, "Right, we have to stick together and attack as one." She summoned the last of her magical strength and threw a Firaga spell towards Terra. A ball of crimson light hit Terra and surrounded him in protective flames that raged against the copies. "Give me a few moments," Aqua looked at Noctis, "I can end this in one spell."

"Why didn't you use it to begin with?" Noctis questioned.

The blue-haired Keyblade Master laughed nervously and looked away. "Well, I'm actually not too sure on how the spell works."

Noctis glared at her. "Can you even cast it?"

"We'll have to find out." She gave a weak smile before running up the stairs.

The guardian shook his head and ran to support Terra. There weren't many copies left, but that meant the original Heart Eater was amongst the ones locked in battle with Terra.

Terra staggered and rolled to the side when he received a powerful strike to his back. His heart shook at the impact, and he went into a defensive stance to keep it from happening again. However, he knew that if he didn't resume his offensive, then his heart was as good as gone. "One more." He said breathlessly.

"Gather!" He raised his large keyblade and formed a Gravaja spell. The pocket of enhanced gravity pulled in the copies still hungry for his heart. One, however, managed to take hold of a crooked streetlamp and held on for all he was worth. It was spared the merciless beating Terra was giving the other copies, but it wasn't enough to send them into oblivion.

When the gravity spell faded, Terra fell to his knees and used Ends of the Earth to keep him from falling over. Exhausted from the raging battle, Terra barely had the energy to look at the Heart Eater and his remaining copies as they closed in on him.

"Spent already?" Noctis appeared in front of Terra in a flash of blue light. He summoned the large symbol from before, the arsenal of weapons acting a shield to protect the weakened keybearer. "We need to buy Aqua time," a crimson eye looked back at Terra, "do you have it in you?"

Terra drove Ends of the Earth into the pavement and used all his strength to hoist himself to his feet once more. "Hold them off so Aqua can do her magic?" Terra shook his head and made his stance more firm. "I think I feel a Second Wind coming on." He met Noctis's gaze, "You block, I bash?"

"I block," Noctis snatched a sword from his floating arsenal, "you bash." The rest of his collection turned transparent, like glass, before swirling around the duo in a protective cyclone of steel.

The Heart Eater shrieked once more and led his copies to attack the defenders anew. This time, however, they were met with a virtually impenetrable defense. Every stroke of their Keyblades was met by the transparent weapons that cycled around the duo. With each strike instantly parried, they were helpless to the counter attack from Terra's bronze Keyblade.

The endless pattern of attack-defend-retaliate was finally broken when the Heart Eater caught Terra's Keyblade after he delivered a hard hit to his side. He dropped his Keyblade and held the teeth on either of Ends of Earth. The Heart Eater's mouth formed a wide, sharp-toothed grin when Terra struggled to free his weapon.

"Crud, Noctis!" Terra looked at the Heart Eater when he raised his palm to point a growing blast of dark energy at Terra's face.

Noctis responded almost immediately. The swirling arsenal of weapons came to a sudden halt, turned tangible, and skewered the Heart Eater that held Terra's Keyblade. Its toothy grin remained, even when a plume of dark smoke ushered him into oblivion. Why was it smiling?

Because Noctis's reaction to save Terra left them _both_ vulnerable.

Time slowed to a crawl, as the remaining copies and the original Heart Eater lunged to strike the duo. Noctis's eyes were wide, as he tried to form the protective barrier of whirling weapons. Terra tried to force himself backwards and out of reach of the pack of dark servants hungry for hearts. Both young men knew that their efforts would end in failure.

But thank Kingdom Hearts for the awesome speed of light. The shadowy doors and small openings of the sanctuary were suddenly lit with the majesty of unrestrained light. The sheer force of its brightness was enough to blow back the Heart Eater, and banish all of his copies to the abyss. The Heart Eater shrieked in agony, blinded by the rush of light, and staggered backwards.

Noctis stood motionless, astonished by the power of the sanctuary that was now a beacon of light behind him. He dared not turn around, for fear that it would be too much for even him.

Terra, on the other hand, was grateful for whatever power the light held. He stretched his limbs, as the exhaustion that plagued him was washed away and replaced with a surge of new power. The darkness that once clawed at his heart was gone, pushed back into the tiniest corner of his heart.

"What," Noctis blinked rapidly, "what just happened?"

If he had a face, Terra had not doubt it would be sporting a large grin. "Aqua happened." He laughed and turned around to look at the tower that shined brilliantly in the darkness. "She always did have a way with light." His gaze returned to the Heart Eater, who now cowered from the light.

The Heart Eater shielded his face from the light, muttered nonsense to himself. The force of the blast of light had forced his hood off of his head, revealing his head of messy white hair. Golden eyes peeked out from between his fingers, as he curled into a tight ball.

"What's wrong," Terra stepped towards the shivering keybearer of darkness, "afraid of the light?" He tilted his head when he heard the Heart Eater's quiet mantra.

"Alone..."

"... alone..."

"... wanna... alone."

Noctis appeared in front of Terra and forced him back to a safe distance, "Watch out!"

A moment after Noctis's warning, the Heart Eater threw his head to the heavens, eyes wide and filled with madness. "I DON'T WANT TO BE ALONE!" He shrieked at the top of lungs. A shockwave of darkness forced Noctis and Terra back a step, as a pool of darkness swallowed the Heart Eater. All the while, he was screaming about not wanting to be alone.

Terra stood motionless after the pool evaporated, leaving him alone with Noctis. After a long stretch of silence, Terra finally said, "Wow."

"That's the first time that's happened." Noctis stepped back to the stairs and sat down on the third step. "Who knew the Keyblade would make such a difference?" He ran a gloved hand through his dark-blue hair and sighed in relief. Another stretch of silence drifted between them before Noctis broke it. "Shouldn't you check on your friend?"

"Probably should." Terra walked up the stairs and noted how his legs felt heavy all of a sudden. "After something like that, she's probably on the verge of falling over."

"She do that often?"

Terra stopped his ascent and sent his Keyblade away. He sighed with exhaustion before looking up at the fading light of the sanctuary. "She would always yell at me for wanting to save everyone all the time," he chuckled, "but truth is, she's usually the one that does the saving." He started up the steps again, slower than before. "I'm just trying to play catch up."

Noctis grunted in reply and waited for Terra to get fully out of earshot. He rested his head against the stairs and snorted. "Ignorance and denial as one."

Inside of the sanctuary, Terra saw Aqua on her back in front of the crystal of light. He felt his heart throb with alarm, but his concern was washed away by the sound of Aqua giggling. He dragged himself over to her, so he was standing at her side. "That awesome spell of yours finally knock a screw loose?"

Aqua held her gut, as she laughed even harder. Tears rolled from her eyes and her feet kicked every so often to try and ease the intense wave of giddiness that flooded her. When she finally calmed her breathing enough to function, she saw Terra lowering himself out of the corner of her eye.

The tired suit of armor laid down on his back and spread his arms, mimicking Aqua's position. The pair watched the glowing crystal as it levitated peacefully. Terra noticed his sight growing blurry, and it struck him that he hadn't rested since he joined with the Lingering Will. Body or not, his heart couldn't sustain such activity without requiring a break to simply exist and recharge.

"Tired?" Aqua's soft whisper made him feel warm.

Terra poked the top of her head. "My line."

A soft laugh floated through the chamber before Terra felt weight on his chest. Aqua had rolled over to rest her head above his heart, arms loosely wrapped around him. As if sensing his confusion, Aqua spoke without opening her eyes. "I _am_ tired."

"I'm sure that throne would be more comfortable than me." He thought of the crimson cushions that were the seat of the black throne. It was where he had found her, and she hadn't complained of cramps. He froze when she nuzzled her cheek against his chest, shaking her head no.

"Fine here." She smiled. "I can feel your heart from here." Aqua laughed softly, "And it's strangely warm."

"Go to sleep Aqua."

"My line."

"You shouldn't say stuff like that to someone like me."

"Why not Terra?" She yawned. "It's the truth."

"People could misunderstand."

...

...

...

...

...

"Then misunderstand."

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**A/N: FIN. Just enough fluff to get the romance tag, and enough action to get the award for Action/Adventure. Not bad if I do say so myself. A bit different from what it was in my head, but that'll happen. **

** Anyway, for those who don't know, Noctis is NOT an OC. He is the main character in the upcoming FF Versus XIII. The location is the setting of the first few trailers of the game (look it up if you don't know, they're awesome). Figured his appearance would be perfect in this fic.**

** Now, the Heart Eater thing... a plot bunny at best. Could it evolve into a full blown KHIII speculative fic? Maybe. Would it involve SoraxKairi and AquaxTerra? Most likely. Would this fic be a test to see which approach people like best? Yes.**

** Tell me what you think, and please leave a review. Thanks for all the positive words and constructive criticism. Please keep an eye out for any more stories I come up with, I'd appreciate your audience. Thank you for reading, greatly appreciate all of you.**


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